Over the past few years, IEEE 802.11 based wireless networking has seen rapid advances. Today, wireless networks are now able to meet or exceed mobility, security, quality of service and performance requirements in an enterprise. Many vendors are announcing products based on 802.11n technology that have achieved up to 300 Mbps network speed. The increased performance and security have been achieved by Wireless Local Area Networking (WLAN) vendors using purpose built hardware platforms that can use multiple cores for computation. This has unfortunately increased the power consumption and hence the cost of operating the wireless network.
In this context, enterprises have deployed wireless switches and/or access points to provide wireless access to its employees and customers. There are, however, a number of factors that can influence the number of wireless switches, access points and their deployed placement. For example, in some embodiments, the following factors are considered: number of wireless users, desired application throughput per user, coverage area for the wireless network, desired application throughput at a given distance from an access point, user density, seamless roaming for applications such as voice, greater access point density for improved location tracking accuracy, as well as type of wireless client.
Typically, a wireless network is over deployed for capacity and function in anticipation of future growth. For example, administrators may choose multi-radio access points even though a single radio access point may suffice for their current needs. Although wireless standards such as 802.11 have focused on reduced power consumption of wireless clients, the standards have left the larger power consumption issue of WLAN infrastructure relatively unaddressed. This over deployment has resulted in WLAN infrastructure consuming and radiating more power than is required for the present needs of the enterprise. This can lead to unnecessary RF transmissions that can impact the performance of the wireless network. For example, in some 802.11 based wireless networks where wireless clients and access points contend for access to the medium, large numbers of 802.11 transmitters can reduce the available transmission opportunities for remaining clients thus negatively impacting the performance of the wireless network.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and techniques for the management and control of power consumption in WLAN infrastructures.